Today's Day in Rock News!

Today's Day in Rock


Guns N' Roses Preview 3D Movie
(Classic Rock) Guns N' Roses will release a 3D concert movie shot during their Las Vegas residency in cinemas, TV and on disc later this year and a preview has gone online.
The 33-track Appetite For Democracy show was recorded at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on November 21, and Paradise City was the final song of the night.

Full details haven't been confirmed but the producers say: "The final DVD and cinema version will be mixed in stereo and 5.1 surround. Musically, this is a very tight live performance. For now, enjoy this rare captured treasure from a true legend and great band."

View an unmixed clip featuring their performance of Paradise City here.



Accuser 'Resolves' Rape Accusation Against Singer
The woman who posted an online accusation of rape against Gaza's Jon Parkin has now issued a following statement saying that she has agreed on a "resolution" with the singer.

She wrote on her blog, "In respect to the incident aforementioned on my blog; both parties have mutually agreed on a resolution for this matter. I have agreed to delete all mentions and posts about this incident from my blog, and I will refrain from posting about this incident again.

"Neither of us are retracting our respective statements— instead we are deciding to not discuss it further and move on. This agreement means I will be unable to answer questions about this. I want to apologize to Gaza as a whole, my intention never was to damper the reputation or musical careers of the members, and I apologize to them. I apologize for involving the band in accusations and handling it poorly in a way that influences the members of Gaza and other well intentioned people involved with their career and music. Both of us would like people not to disparage either party and move on.

"This is the last thing I will post about the incident."

Read our original story to see Parkin and the band's reaction to the original accusation here.



Motorhead, Anthrax and Primal Fear Tribute Metallica's Kill 'Em All
Metal Hammer Germany is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Metallica's debut album, Kill 'Em All, with a star-studded tribute album.

Motorhead, Cannibal Corpse, Anthrax and Primal Fear all cover tracks from the original album on the tribute release. A release date was

The album will also feature two new exclusive covers, '(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth' by Eisregen & The Vision Bleak and 'Jump In The Fire' covered by Dust Bolt. more on this story



Howard Leese and Richie Sambora Guest on New Heaven & Earth Album
Heaven & Earth have set an April 23rd release date for their third studio album, which is entitled Dig.

The album was produced by Dave Jenkins and features guest appearances from Howard Leese (Heart, Paul Rodgers), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) and David Paich (Toto).

Heaven & Earth is leg by Ritchie Blackmore protégé Stuart Smith and the current lineup features singer Joe Retta, bassist Chuck Wright, drummer Richie Onori and keyboardist Arlan Schierbaum.

Smith had this to say about the album, "I feel that with the crafting of the songs on this album, the incredible band we've put together, especially with powerhouse vocalist Joe Retta and the unwavering support of Quarto Valley Records' President, Bruce Quarto, we really have a shot at getting Heaven & Earth the attention it deserves. This album is by far, the best thing I have ever done in my life!" more on this story



Def Leppard To Write New Music While In Las Vegas
(Classic Rock) Def Leppard are aiming to write new material while the band spends nearly a month together during their Las Vegas residency – but that doesn't mean fans can expect a new album.

Frontman Joe Elliott hopes to hire an extra hotel room and set it up as a recording studio in between concerts.

"I don't know if we'll do an album," Elliott says. "Maybe the way to go is put one or two tracks out at a time and see how it goes – almost like a seven-inch single." See what he has to say about the Vegas show.



Dave Grohl Explains How He Paul McCartney Collaboration Happened
(Radio.com) Dave Grohl's latest project is his new documentary Sound City, which tells the story of the storied L.A. recording studio of the same name. The project has brought him together with a long list of rock stars, both for interviews in the film and music-making for its soundtrack. And one of them happens to be a Beatle.

One of the most widely-discussed live performances of 2012 was something dubbed "Sir-vana" – the surviving members of Nirvana (Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear) + Sir Paul McCartney. At the 12-12-12 Concert, the group performed a new song titled "Cut Me Some Slack," which makes "Helter Skelter" sound about as hard as "Love Me Do." The song is the first single from the Sound City soundtrack, Reel To Reel.

Speaking with KROQ's morning show Kevin & Bean, Grohl explained how "Cut Me Some Slack" came together. As Grohl notes, he's jammed with Paul "a bunch of times" (the 2012 and 2009 GRAMMYs, among other times over the years), so when he called up Paul to jam about eight months ago while working on Sound City, Macca came right down.

"As we were filming all of these performances, I was just like, 'Hey dude, why don't you come down and jam?'," Grohl said. "He's like, 'OK.' He comes down and he brings the bass that he's played for 40 years and the Les Paul that there's only four of in the world. And then he brings his guitar made out of a cigar box – it's called a cig-fiddle. And he's like (in a British accent), 'Oh I think I'll play this, why don't you play a bit of drums?' And we just jammed, and we wrote this song in about and hour and recorded it. We walked in, we jammed it. It came out of nowhere – the best songs happen that way. We recorded it live and put a vocal over it and that was it. It was three hours and it was perfect." A lot more here.



Jason Newsted Recounts Leaving Metallica
(Classic Rock) Former Metallica man Jason Newsted has recounted the moment he chose to quit the thrash giants almost exactly 12 years after he made his decision.

The bassist joined the band in 1986 soon after the death of Cliff Burton. His departure was announced in February 2001, but he'd called a meeting the previous month at which he explained why he thought they needed a year away. When James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett refused, he knew he had to go.

Speaking on Nikki Sixx's radio show Newsted says: "One of the most important things in life – but especially when we do this kind of accelerated lifestyle – is when to say when."

"It was like, 'Keep rockin', guys – you're making the world go round for however many thousand people that get paid by what you're doing.'," he said. "When it came to it, 12 years ago tomorrow, I was addicted to painkillers, my neck was jacked, James was considerably drunk. They were having their first divorces, first children. Big stuff going on in their lives.

"I called the meeting. I said, 'Dudes, look at us. My suggestion is: one year off, everybody recalibrate, get back to this and let's go crush it again.' That's what I said. Those words."

Newsted says he "blew himself out" when it took his bandmates less than 25 minutes to reject the idea. "Management comes in, 'MTV, next thing, make us money,' and I'm a puddle on the floor. I'm like, 'There's my answer.'" more on this story



Korn Make Sick Fan's Wish Come True
(Banana 101.5) Korn are one of the more fan-friendly acts going and the group was more than happy to hang out and meet one of their fans after receiving a request from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Korn supporter Tyler Sims suffers from Lupus, an auto-immune disease that leads to excruciating arthritic pain and other physical ailments. The youth says he always wanted to meet the group and was thrilled to finally do so.

Last October, Sims and his family traveled to Phoenix where the band was scheduled to perform and he was finally able to meet his hard-rocking heroes. He says in a new video package showcasing his day that he was picked up in a limo and taken to the venue where he got to watch from the side of the stage as the band went through their soundcheck.

After a break in the action, each of the band members met up with Sims and signed some merchandise, while singer Jonathan Davis sat down with the young man and they shared stories about their lives. The longtime Korn fan says, "He really connected with me kind of deep. It felt good that they actually cared." Read more and watch video here.




Stereophonics Release New Video and Take On Beatles Tribute Challenge
(Classic Rock) Stereophonics have released a video for their track Indian Summer from their upcoming album Graffiti On The Train, which is due on March 4, tying in with a ten-date UK tour the same month.

Meanwhile, the band are due to join Mick Hucknall in Abbey Road Studios next month to stage a Beatles tribute challenge.

They'll attempt to record their version of the Fab Four's debut album in a single session, 50 years to the day since John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr did it for real. The challenge takes place on February 11 and will be covered by BBC Radio 2. more details and watch the video here.




Original Exodus and Testament Singer Releasing New Album
Original Exodus and Testament singer Steve "Zetro" Souza returns with his new band Hatriot.

The group have set a February 12th North American and January 25th European release date for their debut album, Heroes Of Origin.

The ten track album was produced by Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios (Testament, Heathen, Exodus, Skinlab). more on this story




Henley Credits Eagles Success To Dumb Luck
(Classic Rock) Eagles co-founder Don Henley believes some of the band's success was down to "dumb luck" and they're aware how rare it is to have enjoyed two rounds of big-time glory.

They split in 1980 then returned 14 years later to enjoy as much acclaim as they had during the 70s. Speaking at the premiere of their documentary, History Of The Eagles Part One, Henley admits it's a rare achievement.

He tells Rolling Stone: "We fully realize how fortunate we are. We don't take credit for all that – some of it is just dumb luck. Some of it is being in the right place at the right time; coming into contact with the right people, the right managers, attorneys, crew members, producers. There are a whole lot of people involved in this other than us.

"We were fortunate enough to have one of the rarest things in American life: a second act. We broke up for 14 years and came back, and we were bigger than ever. We still pack arenas and stadiums 42 years on." more on this story




Stolen Babies Joining Coal Chamber, Sevendust, and Lacuna Coil Tour
Stolen Babies are set to join the upcoming Coal Chamber, Sevendust, and Lacuna Coil North American tour for several dates.

The band will be joining the trek on April 13th in Toronto, ON and will remain on the tour until the April 28th stop in Dallas, TX.

Prior to that tour, the band will be appearing on several North American tour dates with Turisas and Firewind from February 3rd in Atlanta, GA through February 21st in Oakland, CA. more on this story




Tarja Turunen & Harus Set New Release
Eagle Rock have set a February 12th release date for Tarja Turunen & Harus In Concert - Live At Sibelius Hall on CD, Digital Audio, and Blu-ray/CD.

We were sent these details: This is the first official release from Tarja's new project Harus. Turunen achieved worldwide recognition as the frontwoman of Nightwish, before embarking on a successful solo career.

However, Tarja's background has always been classical music. Now, showcasing the true breadth of her talent, Tarja steps away from the hard rock/heavy metal sound that made her an international star to return to her classical music roots with Harus.

Filmed in Lahti, Finland in December 2009, In Concert presents a blend of traditional Finnish music with classical and modern elements. The fusion of organ, electric guitar, percussion, and Turunen's enchanting vocals filled Sibelius Hall that evening with an emotional, spellbinding energy. With a set that included three different versions of "Ave Maria," this fresh approach to traditional music is an absolutely atmospheric experience.




Megadeth Fan Pays Big Money For Dave Mustaine Prototype Guitar
(hennemusic) A Megadeth fan has spent $11,300 in an eBay auction for an ultra-rare prototype Jackson Y2KV (J6443) guitar that was specifically created for the band's Dave Mustaine.

This natural unfinished Jackson Prototype was designed by Mustaine and presented to him on 12/23/1998, and was featured on several magazine covers including Guitar Magazine in 1999.

This was the first guitar with the final 3+3 Y2KV head, but with dot inlays, rosewood fingerboard, alternate knobs and a blade switch. The body shape was not quite finalized either, but this was the 1st approved prototype, used by Dave Mustaine as reference for the final prototype. Read more and see a photo of the guitar.




Mudhoney Documentary Coming To DVD
The documentary I'm Now: The Story of Mudhoney is set to be released on DVD on February 19th.

The film follows the band's 25-year career, from their beginnings in the Pacific Northwest through the band's most recent world tour.

The documentary was directed by Ryan Short and Adam Pease and features Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard & Jeff Ament, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore & Kim Gordon, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Sub Pop's Jonathan Poneman, and the band themselves. Watch the trailer here.




Prong's Tommy Victor Launching Signature Guitar
Prong's Tommy Victor will be revealing his new Schecter Guitar Research signature guitar at the NAMM show.

Victor has announced a signing on Friday January 25th at 1:00 PM in room 210 and Prong will be performing Saturday January 26th at The Grove in Anaheim, CA alongside Exodus, Jeff Loomis and Chris Poland.

Victor had this to say, "I am so happy to finally have my own signature model being released! And to have it done through Schecter is an honor and a highlight in my career. We put our minds together to design an intense model that we know guitar players and collectors of all sorts are going to appreciate. I'm personally impressed with the outcome. It's amazing!"

"To help celebrate Schecter's dominance in new designs and innovation and quality all around, along with the release of the Tommy Victor signature model, PRONG will be supporting Exodus at the Schecter NAMM Party Saturday Jan 26th at the Grove in Anaheim. Also performing is my old friend Chris Poland and his band Ohm, and one of the world's top shredders Jeff Loomis. The incredible Gary Holt with the rest of us will be doing a signing at the new upstairs Schecter booth at NAMM (which will have my new model on display) Friday Jan. 25 at 1pm. See you at NAMM!"




7 Horns 7 Eyes Drop Off Annex Theory Tour
7 Horns 7 Eyes gave pulled out of their upcoming tour with Annex Theory due to internal issues within the band.

7H7E guitarist Aaron Smith had this to say, "This is certainly not the outcome we had in mind when we announced our participation in this tour, and it's really a bummer to let everyone down who had made plans to come see 7H7E play and to the promoters of the shows as well.

"There are several factors in our decision to cancel, including unforeseen financial strain, and it was not a decision we made quickly or lightly, but it's definitely the best decision. We fully intend and look forward to rescheduling a similar run of dates in the future (we hope with Annex Theory), so that we can make it up to our Canadian fans! We will not forget!" more on this story





Singled Out: Annandale
Today Ashley from Annandale tells us about "This Fight" from their brand new EP "Moving Forward," which was produced by Clint Lowery and Morgan Rose from Sevendust. Here is the story:

An overarching theme of our EP, Moving Forward, is "rebirth, refuge, and self-discovery" and I feel like "This Fight" is a great step toward all of those things for me. I tend to be a bit on the shy side and have a lot of anxiety when it comes to having honest conversations about my thoughts or feelings. I may be screaming on the inside, but it always seems easier to say what someone wants to hear. "This Fight" is my first attempt at pushing myself to overcome this anxiety.

I think everyone has trouble communicating from time to time. Poor communication (or complete lack of it) usually snowballs into misunderstanding, anger, and more anxiety, which are exactly the things we're all trying to avoid when we take the easy way out in a conversation. It's a horrible cycle that isn't easy to break, especially when there's bad communication on both ends of the conversation.

"This Fight" points out how isolating and infuriating this cycle can be. It isn't easy and will definitely take some time, but it's something we can all work on. For me, I know it will take a lot of time, but I plan to keep fighting as long as it takes.
Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!




Underoath Release Final Music Video?
Underoath have released what could be their very last music video. The video clip for the song "Sunburnt" was directed by their drummer Daniel Davison.

The track is one of two new songs that were recorded for the band's Anthology 1999-2013 retrospective which was produced by Matt Goldman. Watch the video here.

The band is currently winding down their farewell tour which concludes on Saturday in Florida and features support from Mewithout You, As Cities Burn and Letlive. more on this story




Black Star Riders Guitarist Video Interview Goes Online
(hennemusic) Black Star Riders guitarist Scott Gorham recently sat down with Engl's Artist Relations Director Michael Berger during the band's studio sessions in Thousand Oaks near Los Angeles.

Scott gives inside information about Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders as well as his Engl set up he used for the recording.

Former Thin Lizzy members – now known as Black Star Riders - entered the studio earlier this month with producer Kevin Shirley to record their debut album.

The group adopted the new band name to start the project with a clean slate, and out of respect to the legacy of the late Phil Lynott. Watch the interview here.




Dorsal Atlantica On Wikimetal
This week's episode of Wikimetal features an interview with Carlos Lopes of Dorsal Atlantica.

The band, from from Rio de Janeiro, is one of the pioneers of Brazil's thrash metal movement.

On his last interview regarding the album 2012, Carlos told Wikimetal about the process of reuniting the band, talked about the reality of the Brazilian music scene today. Listen here.




Coheed and Cambria Rock Conan
Coheed and Cambria gave a very special performance last night on Conan's late night TBS talk show.

The band performed the track "Dark Side of Me" from their new album, The Afterman: Ascension, on the show.

If you missed the performance on TV, Team Coco have uploaded a stream that you can watch online